Elephants kill 17 people a year

Elephants kill 17 people a year

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: Wild elephants on the rampage trample
to death up to 17 people a year in this Sumatran province, says
chief of the provincial forestry office A.S.M. Panjaitan.

He said that each year in Lampung an estimated 1,000 wild
elephants, which are protected by law, encroach on human
settlements, destroying crops and killing people.

In the latest incident last week, dozens of elephants went on
the rampage in several hamlets in western Lampung, killing one
person and injuring many others.

"Such encroachment has been going on for many years and the
problem is getting serious," Panjaitan told Antara.

The elephant population is rapidly increasing while their
habitat is dwindling due to the human pressure, such as
development of resettlement areas and plantations, he said.

The elephant training center in Way Kambas is able to tame and
train 20 elephants per year. Trained elephants are used to help
with odd jobs, such as moving logs. (pan)